Texas Mother Charged after Leaving Children in Car for 15 Hours

A 19-year-old mother is facing charges after her two toddler daughters died after they were left in the car for over 15 hours.

Amanda Hawkins reportedly went to a friend's house in Kerville, TX and knowingly left her children, 1-year-old Brynn Hawkins and 2-year-old Addyson Overgard-Eddy, in the car. According to Inside Edition, when a friend mentioned they heard the daughters crying and asked her to bring them inside, Hawkins said to ignore it and the girls would cry themselves to sleep. A 16-year-old boy who arrived at the house with Hawkins even went out to the car to sleep along side the children, but ultimately went back inside and left the children in the car. The children were left with no food, water, or means to use the restroom for at least 15 hours.

The following day, Hawkins found the children unconscious in the car and reportedly took them inside, bathed, and dressed them, but didn't take them to the hospital until a friend convinced her to. Hawkins told doctors that the girls had passed out after playing in flowers. The girls were transported to a hospital in San Antonio where both girls were put on ventilators, but passed away after being taken off support.

Hawkins and her estranged husband were investigated by Child Protective Services back in September. Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer called it the worst cast of child endangerment he's seen in four decades of service.

Hawkins was initially charged with two counts of child endangerment, and held on a $70,000 bond. Since the children have passed away, the grand jury has the option to upgrade the charges. According to the NY Times, Sheriff Hierholzer said the 16-year-old boy would likely face charges as well, saying he was culpable in the situation.

While the girls were left in the car, its estimated the temperatures ranged from the 60s at night up to 105 during the day due to humidity.